The New York Yankees broke their eight days of inactivity with not one, but two moves Thursday as they wait patiently to round out a mostly finished roster with spring training looming in more than a couple of weeks.
The Yankees claimed a pair of righties off waivers, first Allan Winans from the Atlanta Braves and then Roansy Contreras from the Baltimore Orioles.
Contreras, 25, was a highly regarded Yankees prospect whom the team traded in 2021 in the deal that landed them starting pitcher Jameson Taillon. Baseball america ranked the Dominican Republic native as the No. 80 prospect in baseball before the 2022 season. That same year, MLB Pipeline had him at No. 71.
Contreras’ career has tailed off since. After debuting in the majors in 2022 with a 3.79 ERA in 21 appearances for the Pirates, he’s struggled in the majors and the minors. His fastball velocity dipped a little in 2023 and he had a 6.59 ERA in 19 MLB games for Pittsburgh. In 2024, he posted a 4.74 ERA in 49 games between the Pirates and the Los Angeles Angels.
Contreras has had a particularly hectic winter. The Angels designated him for assignment after last season, and the Texas Rangers claimed him before designating him for assignment on Dec.12. Then he was claimed on Dec. 19 by the Cincinnati Reds, who DFA’d him on Jan. 6, and he was claimed by the Orioles on Jan. 10. The O’s designated him for assignment on Jan. 16.
roansy contreras has had a hell of an offseason pic.twitter.com/c8P1lz0ceW
— zack (@thefluxandflow) January 18, 2025
Winans, 29, made eight big-league starts with a combined 7.20 ERA between 2023 and 2024 for the Braves. The New York Mets drafted him in the 17th round in 2018, and he’s had a 3.23 ERA in 51 starts in Triple A.
Contreras is out of minor-league options while Winans has one remaining.
The Yankees likely aren’t finished shaping their major-league roster. They have been connected to several free-agent lefty relievers, including Tim Hill. The 34-year-old had a 2.05 ERA in 35 appearances last season for the Yankees, who claimed him off waivers from the Chicago White Sox.
The Yankees may also still be looking to trade starting pitcher Marcus Stroman, who appears to be the odd man out of their rotation and is set to make $18 million next season. Stroman also has an $18 million option for 2026 that vests if he pitches at least 140 innings next season. The team’s projected luxury tax payroll for 2025 sits at $302.9 million — just around the $302 million mark of the highest luxury tax penalty, according to Cots Contracts. The Yankees’ only other MLB transaction came on Jan. 15 when they acquired righty Michael Arias from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for cash.
(Photo of Roansy Contreras: Brandon Sloter / Getty Images)
